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Dominion of Pretoria
This page is under construction. Overview The Dominion of Pretoria is one of the southernmost countries in Africa, situated primarily in the Highveld region of South Africa. Having only recently reached statehood, Pretoria is ruled under an authoritarian regime headed by the Chancellor, Jan Smuts. The country is also considered a minor power in Africa. It is a founding member of the Lower African Economic Union. Geography & Resources Geography Located in the real life South African province of Gauteng, the Dominion of Pretoria's lands are dominated by rolling hills and mountains, with fertile valleys and flatlands becoming more common as one travels north. Its landscape is dotted with lakes of varying sizes, providing plenty of water despite much of the nation's population living in the South African interior instead of near the coast. Resources Pretoria's highlands and mountains hold a variety of minerals, such as gold, coal, and uranium; the mining industry in Pretoria has begun to boom due to the recent discovery of coal in its mountains. Its flatlands (especially in the north) are quite fertile, and are home to a strong agricultural industry that provides the country with plenty of food. Economy To be written later... Demographics A large minority of Pretoria's considerable population of 840,000 live in the city of Pretoria -- it is the major population center of the country, with about 300,000 people. There is still a large rural minority in the country, however, as about 55% of the nation's population live in rural areas. The remaining percentage of people -- about 15% -- live in one of Pretoria's three other major settlements. The absolute majority of all Pretorians are Anglo-Afrikaner, which comprise about 84% of the nation's population. This happenstance blend of Boer and British culture arose from a post-war South Africa, the two peoples having mostly migrated to the same areas and forming clusters of European settlements in an area of the African continent where such a thing was rare. Due to living somewhat peacefully and close to each other for so long, the cultures began to blend over the course of centuries, creating the Anglo-Afrikaner nation. However, there is a small minority of South African peoples in the country: only 12% of the population consist of Africans, about four fifths of which are slaves. These peoples are remnants of old Pretoria before the war, taken captive during the conflicts in which the Anglo-Afrikaners first forced out the tribes inhabiting the pre-war Pretorian ruins. The majority of Pretorians -- 85% of the population -- are Christians. However, there is no dominant church in the city; Catholics, Protestants, and even members of indigenous African churches are all found in Pretoria. 12% are of a South-African indigenous religion; and only 3% are of another unspecified religion or have no religion at all. Much of politics in Pretoria is focused on domestic issues rather than focusing on foreign/international issues; for example, racial politics and civil rights are two of the the most discussed topics in the country. This 'Pretoria first' stance on politics is due to a mostly right-leaning population, with the majority of people being at least somewhat patriotic and in support of a strong government, as well as much of the country taking pride in their culture and family's traditions. Civil rights are a deeply divisive (if not the most divisive) issue in the country, with much of the older generations being in favor of slavery or outright genocide; however, the newer generation -- despite being less active in politics and more focused on career-building and entrepreneurship -- are somewhat more liberal towards civil rights, even if their stance towards many other topics (such as nationalism and militarism) remains quite the opposite. Cities, Towns, & Outposts Small City * Pretoria (capital) To be written... (author's note: this won't be written until I finish writing the History section.) * Dojeerplek Originally founded as a farming village in mid-1949, the city is experiencing a rapid population boom due to both coal and gold being found in the highlands surrounding it. As a result, much of its economy has shifted towards its lucrative mining industry, although other industries relating to the various minerals mined in Dojeerplek (such as steel and coal refineries) have grown. The city also has a growing tourism industry, due to its rather impressive city hall and breathtaking mountainous landscape. Dojeerplek is a part of the Pretorian Rail Authority. * Nuwe-D'urban Nuwe-D'urban was founded in late 1949. It is currently the main hub for Pretoria's maritime commerce, hosting Pretoria's first port. Despite it not having the most extensive trade infrastructure -- for example, D'urban's seaport is smaller than Ft. Frederick's -- the city has still managed to become one of the most influential trade cities on the east African coastline, hosting the second largest port in the Indian Ocean. Nuwe-D'urban is a part of the Pretorian Rail Authority. Town * Fort Frederick oer die Algoa Ft. Frederick is an important recent addition to Pretorian territory. Consisting of the ancient Fort Frederick, a portion of the ruins of Port Elizabeth surrounding it, and part of the Algoa Bay, this bustling town is host to Pretoria's largest port, the ancient seaport of the old city Port Elizabeth. The town's port is also the largest port currently operating in Africa. The town's primary industry is manufacturing; in fact, it is the second largest manufacturing hub in the country, behind Pretoria. Ft. Frederick is a part of the Pretorian Rail Authority. * Bloemfontein Bloemfontein is another recent important addition to the Dominion of Pretoria. Founded in early 1951 as a coal mining settlement, the settlement is situated mostly in the southeastern portion of the ancient ruins of old Bloemfontein. It is seeing an influx of coal miners (who make up most of the settlement's population), as it was founded for the purpose of controlling essential areas of the Highveld that are home to vast coal reserves. However, the agriculture industry has some presence in Bloemfontein; its lowlands are host to many large farms. Interestingly enough, there have been rumors of diamonds being found in the coal mines, but there has been no official word on if that claim is true or not. However, gold has been officially reported as having been found in the town, which has recently brought in even more miners seeking work. Bloemfontein is a part of the Pretorian Rail Authority. Small Town * Meerstad Meerstad was founded in late 1950, in order to gain control of more of the Highveld for mining purposes. Home to several hundred miners and their families, the settlement is currently not much more than a coal town. However, it is also situated next to an ancient -- and relatively intact -- hydroelectric dam undergoing repairs. For this reason, the town has a garrison of two hundred infantrymen, as well as a detachment of engineers working on the dam. Meerstad is a part of the Pretorian Rail Authority. * Heldersmyn Also founded in late 1950, Heldersmyn is the result of a gold rush in Pretoria; the town sprouted up following the establishment of an especially successful gold mine. However, it is relatively unimportant, despite its impressive amount of gold. Heldersmyn is a part of the Pretorian Rail Authority. Outpost * Pietersburg Established in late 1950 after the establishment of the Vaal-Limpopo charter, Pietersburg is a relatively unimportant working-class village close to the center of the Charter. While its primary industry is agriculture -- specifically the production of grain and maize -- it also has multiple grain refineries; it also is host to several large cash crop plantations. Pietersburg is part of the Pretorian Rail Authority. Politics Government The Chancellor -- currently Jan Smuts, a prominent military leader and statesman -- holds supreme power in the Pretorian government. Some duties, such as the day-to-day administration of the nation, are delegated to the Chancellor's upper staff. While being an undemocratic regime, the government will from time to time give the citizenry the opportunity to vote on certain matters; however, these votes are mostly used to collect data on the political leanings of the people and they have negligible sway on most political decisions. Foreign Policy Pretoria is currently allied with the Dominion of Southern Rhodesia. Pretoria is currently trading with the Dominion of Southern Rhodesia; the Afrikan Volksryk; Wesley's Republic; the Technocratic Republic of California; and the Empire of Japan. Pretoria is currently embargoing nobody. Pretoria is currently at war with nobody. Culture Pretoria is dominated by Anglo-Afrikaner culture, a mix of culture from the descendants of British immigrants and pre-war Boer culture. This culture arose first about half a century following the end of The Great War, in the rural communities of white farmers and wealthy individuals. These groups of people, due to the threat of outsiders, began to band together into clans of sorts; dozens of rural families would come together, protecting eachother's land and acting as a large tribe. The clans took root especially around Pretoria, and began resettling around the ruins of the old city. During the process of resettling the region, they drove the indigenous South Africans out of Pretoria, enslaving those who stayed or surrendered. As a result, indigenous culture is mostly not present -- although it does have some precedence amongst slave populations -- and freedmen tend to not adhere to their native customs, instead integrating into society. However, surprisingly enough, Anglo-Afrikaner views on these assimilated freedmen are only segregationist: they view them as an uplifted and equal species, but believe that the two species should live in their own communities (even if they're under the same nation). Due to some of the familial clans from pre-unification times still being quite powerful, much of Anglo-Afrikaner (and especially Pretorian) culture has quite a lot of focus on family. To betray a family member is unthinkable, and to attack, or murder a family member is considered a crime worthy of death, almost no matter the reason. This way of life having been cemented into Anglo-Afrikaner way of life for two centuries has resulted in a strong emphasis on familial duty and identity in the nation; but it has also served to create a sense of national identity amongst the people, inspiring patriotism. This strong sense of familial tradition has been amongst white culture in the area even since pre-war times. Military See Pretorian Armed Forces. History The First Founding Pretoria was first founded in 1855 by Marthinus Pretorius, a Voortrekker leader. Relatively little is known about this time period in Pretorian history, as much of the records of this part of Pretorian history (and anything prior) has been lost due to the Great Wars and the flow of time. However, it is known that Pretoria was the capital of an ancient nation called the South African Republic during this time period. British Colonisation The era of The First Founding is generally regarded to have ended with the Siege of Pretoria during the First Boer War, which is known to have lasted from late 1880 to early 1881. However, the British did not control Pretoria until the Second Boer War. The city was besieged and surrended on the 5th of June, 1900; peace was made on the 31st of May, 1902 with the signing of the Treaty of Vereenging -- the original manuscript of which still survives, on display at the Pretorian Capital Building as an important piece of pre-Great-War Anglo-Afrikaaner history. Union of South Africa In 1910 the Boer Republics; the Orange River Colony; the Cape Colony; and the Natal Colony were all unified into a new dominion of the old British Empire: the Union of South Africa. Pretoria was the administrative capital of this dominion, and from 1910 to the Great Catastrophe, was the capital of the province of Transvaal. Pretoria had also managed to receive city status in 1934. Independence During the Great Catastrophe, South Africa had only just recently achieved independence from the United Kingdom; consequently, it was unable to survive the political instability following it. Riots erupted across the country, although Pretoria's city government managed to hold control over the city for almost two decades following South Africa's total collapse. Pretoria had managed to maintain a state of quasi-independence (while it was still loyal to extinct Union of South Africa, it was effectively its own nation). The Great Silence While South Africa was no longer in the Commonwealth, it still had strong ties to Britain. As a result, when the Great Catastrophe happened and Britain collapsed, South Africa was only met by radio silence whenever it tried to ask Britain for help. This constant radio silence (and lack of communication in general) from the European continent came to be called "The Great Silence", especially by those who still kept to their European roots. The Indigenous Wars Three wars were fought between the Pretorians and the indigenous South Africans; the first two of these wars were fought over the span of two decades, culminating in the British and Boer peoples losing control of the city to the South Africans. The third and last of these wars occurred about a century after the first two, during which the city of Pretoria was retaken. Overall, the Indigenous Wars occurred over the course of about 120 years, but only lasted a total of about twelve years. The Battle of Newcastle A major turning point of the First Indigenous War, the Battle of Newcastle was fought at the ruins of the pre-war city of Newcastle about four years after the Great Catastrophe. The Pretorians fielded four hundred men equipped with a mix of pikes and rifles, against a much larger but inferior-equipped force of no less than two thousand South Africans. Two weeks prior to the battle, a lieutenant colonel led a force of four hundred men to attempt to regain control of Newcastle and establish order in the city. They set up camp on a hill outside of the city for two weeks before attempting to enter it, and sent scouts to observe the city from the outskirts. However, as the battalion prepared to move, it was found that they were being watched by a large force of South Africans. Seeing that the Pretorian men were beginning to move, the Africans charged, their speed being notable enough that it was recounted in several recovered diaries as well as many newspapers which reported on the battle. The Pretorian men quickly manned the camp defenses, just in time to fend off the waves of Africans; the two sides fought for three days, before the African onslaught was over. Pretoria stood victorious, and they marched into Newcastle; it was under Pretorian control for another decade, before it was lost in the Second Indigenous War. The Battle of Johannesburg The Battle of Johannesburg was the largest battle of the Second Indigenous War, and is seen as marking the downfall of the Pretoria City Government's power despite the Pretorians being technically victorious -- it was a Pyrrhic victory. A thousand Pretorian men armed with rifles, pikes, and some armor, as well as three hundred men on horseback, fought against no less than eight thousand South Africans, who were rather poorly equipped by comparison. About a decade and a half after the Great Catastrophe, the Second Indigenous War had peaked; Newcastle had been taken and much of it was razed by the South Africans, and a force larger than any that had been seen since the Great War was marching on Pretoria. However, as they marched through the ruins of Johannesburg towards Pretoria, they were met by a well-equipped but much smaller force of Pretorian men. They began skirmishing, with small groups of men exchanging fire for several days. The battle turned first towards the favor of the Africans as they managed to press the Pretorian defensive line back, if only due to their sheer numbers. Eventually, the Pretorian forces were surrounded, fortifying the city hall and the area surrounding it as they held off the South African forces for a total of thirty-five days. On the thirty-sixth day of the battle, a relief force of 300 dragoons charged into the northern part of the South African line. The cavalry force took the Africans by surprise, and the northern offensive line of the South African force was quickly broken. As the cavalry continued to relentlessly make hit-and-run attacks on the South African men, the relieved infantry took no time to wait and led a ruthless counter-offensive against the South Africans. Both sides fought hard and for several hours, but the South Africans eventually retreated as the Pretorian fortifications, as rudimentary as they had been, were quite hard to break through, and had exhausted many of the South African men; combined with the ruthless hit-and-run attacks of the Pretorian dragoons, most of the men had chose to flee the battle. With that, the Battle of Johannesburg was won by Pretoria, but at a great cost. No less than three hundred men had died in the battle, and many more were severely wounded. Following this battle, Pretoria's government began falling to the forces of instability that had been wearing at it for nearly two decades. The population was tired of war; the government's power was dropping in light of recent territorial losses to the South Africans, and the loss of Newcastle had dealt a heavy blow to the Pretorian economy. First Siege of Pretoria A ceasefire was held for several years as both sides of the Second Indigenous War could no longer sustain continuous fighting, but the Africans had an extreme population advantage and as a result managed to recoup most of their losses within only a couple years. As a result, they were able to raise an even larger force, and began to march on Pretoria once more. Nineteen years after the Great Catastrophe, a force of ten thousand Africans marched on the city of Pretoria with spears and torches in hand, although a small portion of the African forces were armed with rifles. The population of Pretoria had already begun to evacuate days before, and only the criminals and those who wished to stay and defend the city were left behind. As a result, there were only eight hundred men manning the city's defenses, equipped with rifles and some body armor as well as having mortar support. The siege began with an initial charge by the Africans, who attacked in a formation akin to the Zulu buffalo horn formation of ancient times -- they were met by a wall of gunfire from the Pretorians, who had managed to entrench themselves around the city. The African forces mostly made hit-and-run attacks, with larger charges interspersed; this went on for sixty-eight days, before the Pretorians ran out of ammunition. Forced to resort to weapons such as bows and pikes, they began taking more and more losses as they fended off the constant African assault. As a result, on the seventy-eighth day of the siege, the Africans managed to break through the eastern defensive line of Pretoria; the two sides fought in the eastern outskirts of the city for another two days, before the African men were pushed back out of the city's outskirts. However, after another six days had passed, another break was made in the eastern defensive line, and the Pretorian forces were pushed into the mountains. The two forces skirmished in the mountains for another thirty-eight days, before there was finally no longer a trace of the Pretorian men. The siege lasted a total of 124 days, although the city had technically fallen on the end of the 86th day. The end of the First Siege of Pretoria marked the end of the first independent Pretorian state. Second Great Trek With Pretoria lost and much of it destroyed, a large portion of the Pretorian population migrated northwards in a second Great Trek. The Pretorians lived as semi-nomadic clans for about a century. During this time, the Anglo and Boer populations began to intermingle due to living on basically the same land for a century; as a result, the Anglo-Afrikaner culture was first formed. Despite the unifying effect of being under one culture, the Anglo-Afrikaner peoples were still quite fractured, with each clan functioning as its own state (while still identifying as Anglo-Afrikaner). Third Indigenous War About 98 years into the Second Great Trek, an especially powerful clan emerged; not much is known about this clan due almost all available sources being local legends and stories, many of which have fictitious elements simply due to the flow of time. However, it is known that this clan was in possession of immense wealth and had an extensive arsenal; it existed only for about half a century, before fracturing into several more families. This especially powerful clan, known as the Dunwy clan according to cross-referencing from several dozen different oral traditions, managed to unify the Anglo-Afrikaners and set off towards Pretoria once more. Under the leadership of the great Willem Dunwy, the Anglo-Afrikaners continued their Great Trek in a new direction -- southwards. A Third Indigenous War had been declared, and almost every man who could hold a rifle marched under the Pretorian flag, according to most accounts. The migration back to Pretoria lasted over a year, and they arrived at the old city to find it somewhat ruined (although it was still inhabited; in fact, it was a considerable population center at this time as well). The Battle of Pretoria The Second Founding The Federation of Clans Unification (current day) Category:Countries Category:Minor Powers